the romance reader
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Men of Courage, (anthology) by Lori Foster, Donna Kauffman, and Jill Shalvis"Trapped!" - Not a strong showing from Lori Foster this time. Lori's writing has never been strong when it comes to believable storylines, but this offering seemed too truncated and trite. The characters (particularly the heroine) suffered from dated voice, weak motivation, and a lack of self-consciousness. The hero was likeable, but several of his 'issues' were not addressed satisfactorily. Surprisingly, even the sex scene was not the best, since that is usually Lori's strength. Lori is one of my keepers, and I hope this is an exception rather than a trend. Overall, the weakest story of the three. [Lori Foster's website]
"Buried!" - Donna Kauffman is becoming one of my favorite short story writers. Her contributions to the past few "Bad Boys" Brava anthologies have been excellent, and this story continues her winning streak. She finds a fresh premise (search and rescue after an earthquake) and introduces likeable, realistic characters. The rich, East-coast girl has been done, certainly; Donna makes the character unique rather than a stereotype. The hero was very attractive, and the secondary characters (dogs) engaging as well. The rather hurried conclusion is unfortunately common in short stories; it made me want to explore some of Kauffman's longer offerings. I've been eyeing The Charm Stone. [Donna Kauffman's website]
"Stranded!" - Jill Shalvis' contribution was good, with attractive characters and a developed storyline. The premise was a little contrived, but no points are counted off - a short story usually needs a pretty contrived premise to get you through the plot faster. I liked it, but nothing special. Just what I was looking for in an afternoon's read. [Jill Shalvis' website]
posted by romance on 5:11 AM
This blog will review books, usually from the romance industry. It will also provide commentary on the industry in general. It will serve as my reference for my personal reading, though I hope anyone who reads romance will find it useful as well.
posted by romance on 12:21 AM